Sam Madden’s world has gotten a lot smaller lately.
Soon after arriving in Braselton in early May, the freshman offensive lineman realized he needed to find somewhere to train for his impending football career at Georgia. So to start, Madden decided to go for a run at one of the six neighboring high schools. He chose Mill Creek because it was closest.
Upon arriving at the school’s track, Madden noticed a posting that all visitors needed to check in at the office. It was well after hours and he didn’t expect to find anybody there, but he headed inside anyway.
Before he could get to the door, Madden was intercepted by Mill Creek assistant football coach John Loudermilk. Turns out football coaches can spot a 6-6, 330-pound lineman coming from miles away. Loudermilk had left his station doling out shoulder pads to find out who was the big kid traipsing the grounds.
Madden informed him he was going to UGA and was just looking to get in a little conditioning. Loudermilk perked up at the sound of Madden’s South Jersey accent and asked him where he was from.
“A buddy of mine trains up there,” Loudermilk informed him. “Do you by any chance know Dave Klemic?”
Madden definitely did. Klemic had been training Madden at Athletes Arbor, a South Jersey gym, since Madden was an eighth-grader. And both Loudermilk and Klemic had trained under the same guy in Atlanta when they were preparing for the NFL draft years ago. That guy was Chip Smith, who owns Hammer Smith Performance Sports in Norcross.
Loudermilk immediately got both Smith and Klemic on the phone on a conference call. Madden was training at Hammer Smith before the week was out.
“Pretty neat,” Madden said with a laugh.
For the next month, Madden worked with Zach Smith, Chip Smith’s son, as his primary trainer. He’d lift and do resistance running at least five days a week. He’d leave Braselton at 8 a.m. and sometimes not come home until late in the afternoon.
By the time he left for Athens on June 1, Madden felt like he was in the best shape of his life.
That’s a good thing because cracking Georgia’s lineup is going to be a tough thing to do, this season at least. The Bulldogs have four returning starters on the offensive line and several viable lettermen ready to step into the one open spot.
But Madden isn’t resigned to sitting out his first season.
“I fully intend on winning a starting spot and beating out whoever I have to and doing whatever I have to do,” Madden said shortly before reporting. “Obviously there’s a lot of guys to beat out. But I don’t care if he’s a junior or senior, I’m trying to take his job. If that doesn’t happen there are a lot more things to do.”
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